See Me Shattered
by The Genius Mage
Summary: EthanxLyra with mentions of past SilverxLyra. And now...and now...she needed to face Ethan and the unanswered Pokegear calls that stood between them. "...I'll make the pain go away. I promise." Two-shot.
1. Shattered

_~*See Me Shattered*~_

_Broken into pieces that need to be picked up…_

* * *

A familiar breeze caressed Lyra's skin as she exited Route 29 and entered New Bark Town.

_It hasn't changed a bit._

The ocean wind that blew off of Route 27 caused the white windmills to turn themselves, and the nearly inaudible _creak_ of their inner mechanisms reminded the Trainer that she was home at last. The grass was still soft and springy, well trodden by the multitude of steps that had flattened its green surface. The stretch of water near the various houses glittered in the sunlight, and everything was serene and peaceful.

An inquisitive sound from the Pichu at her feet earned Lyra's attention for a moment. The yellow Electric-type Pokémon peered up at her with bright black eyes, and the girl felt her throat clench painfully. Why did she leave _this_ particular Pokémon out? Why didn't she have Meganium (bless his faithful heart) who at least wasn't filled with painful memories best left forgotten?

_Because it's not his fault. Pichu hasn't done anything._

The thickly leafed trees surrounding New Bark shuffled their branches, creating a soft, murmuring cadence that sounded like a gentler echo of the nearby tide. Lyra gestured for Pichu to follow her, and focusing her gaze not on her own home, but on _his_, she walked carefully across the short, verdant green grass as if she feared a wild Pokémon encounter.

Upon reaching the door, Lyra lifted one hand and hesitated before knocking. Licking suddenly dry lips, she crossed her arms behind her back and sought to look casual. Pichu chirped cheerfully, short tail waving, and her heart ached again at the noise. As she waited, her eyes were inevitably drawn to a spot near Professor Elm's laboratory window, and she blinked conscientiously, remembering a flaming haired boy with—

The door opened and out stepped _his_ dad. He was balding a bit on the top—signs of stress or old age, she didn't know for sure—but besides that, he appeared hale and hearty. His smile died on his face, becoming a perplexed, nervous grin. Scratching the back of his black-haired head, he said, "Well, hey there, Lyra. Been a while since you've stopped by."

She forced a grin of her own. "Yes, I'm sorry about that. Is Ethan there? I _really_ need to talk to him."

"Well, no. He's out right now, should be back soon."

"C-Can I stay to wait for him? It's urgent. Or perhaps you know where he went…?" Lyra clasped her hands in front of her pleadingly, and Pichu mimicked the action.

"Lyra, dear, it's been three years since you were here last, and I used to see you every day. I haven't heard a peep from you since then, so you can come in…provided you tell me what's been going on." His face assumed a teasing expression, and with a snicker (he had ever been slightly immature) he stepped aside and let the Trainer in.

The house smelled of pine and sea salt and fresh cooking, the scent of a father working to be both a mom and a dad to his only child. It was a familiar aroma to her, like her home away from home.

She wasn't so concerned about her mother, now that she thought about it. After all, she had instructed her to go and "make nice" with her old childhood friend. (Never mind that she had been planning to do that since she had first arrived.)

Ethan's father got her a glass of iced lemonade and a plate of cookies, but Lyra didn't feel very hungry. Regardless, she forced herself to bite into the chocolate desert, chewing slowly without raising her eyes.

"Now, Lyra…tell me, where have you been? Y'know Ethan misses you, right?"

A sudden lump formed in her throat that she found it hard to swallow past. Pichu, blissfully unaware of his owner's discomfort, perched himself on the table and stole one of her cookies, nibbling it happily.

"I know. I'm really sorry, sir. I've actually talked to Ethan, even if _you _don't know."

"When?"

"…Last year."

He raised his eyebrows, leaning back in his chair. "Huh. What happened?"

"That's something I want to tell Ethan. You can learn from him, if you don't mind, sir." She picked at the contents on her plate, feeding the crumbs to her Pokémon. "It's not a pleasant story for me to tell twice."

_Weak, he was right, you're _weak_!_

"Hrm. Well, there he is now." Her friend's father nodded at the door as it opened, and she stiffened in shock as she heard the well-known tread of a Marill's quick paws followed by the slower steps of a human.

"Dad, have you—oh…Lyra."

Slowly, she turned in her seat at the table and looked at him guiltily. He was different now, older. _And of course he would be! Why should time wait for me? _He was dressed mostly the same, but his eyes were darker and his voice had become a slightly deeper pitch.

But he still had that boyish charm about him, of a childish dreamer that would never quite grow up.

She jerked her hand to the side in a quick wave, with her Pichu instantly dropping his cookie and springing to the ground to hiss threateningly at Marill. The Water-type was utterly unperturbed, even when sparks began to fly from the Electric Mouse's cheeks. Instead, Marill opted to glare accusingly at Lyra before rushing back to her master.

The girl was unable to meet Ethan's gaze, in case she would find the same thing there as his Pokémon's.

The silence stretched on, and unexpectedly the air was thick with broken promises and unanswered Pokégear calls.

"Come on," Ethan announced at last. He turned and strode out the door, and at first Lyra thought he had only been speaking to his Marill. However, his father nudged her and said he had been staring at her when he had spoken.

"Pichu, return," Lyra whispered, sending the quick-to-fight Electric-type back into his Pokéball. He'd make a strong battler yet, he quite obviously wasn't a weak Pokémon…(and of course he wasn't, his previous owner had never liked feeble Pokémon.)

"Don't be afraid of ol' Ethan," the aforementioned boy's father advised behind her as she made her way towards the house's exit. "He's not gonna hurt you, he's just a bit confused and hurt."

"Y-Yeah," was all she answered with.

He was waiting for her right outside the door, but as soon as she emerged, he whipped around and stalked into the forest that ridged the entirety of New Bark. Taking a steadying breath, Lyra followed him.

_I brought this on me. I need to face up to it._

Regardless, as they speed-walked through the clustering trees, the girl released her Meganium from his Pokéball for good luck. The 5'11" dinosaur-like Pokémon trotted at her side, long neck lowered so his head was at her level, golden antennae flapping behind him with every step. She placed her hand between Meganium's shoulder blades and continued on.

The shadows became heavier, obscuring the forest floor. Several times Lyra almost tripped over an upraised root, and it was with a bitter feeling that she realized what he was showing her. She had once known the area around New Bark Town like the back of her hand, but now it was only a fading memory. Not quite clear, not quite _real_.

Kanto's sunlit roads and Hoenn's moonlit seas were _far _more familiar now.

They entered a very small clearing—the term used loosely here—where some of the trees had retreated enough for a patch of grass to grow freely. It was pressed close to the earth by, Lyra thought, Marill paws. It seemed Ethan came here often, with his trusty Pokémon always at his heels. Golden rays from above just barely penetrated the tightly knit branches, speckling the ground with tiny spots of light. Wildflowers flourished around the very edges of the miniature field, creating a sweet-smelling aroma that was only rivaled by the scent that hung around Meganium's own pink petals.

Ethan stopped. He turned almost reluctantly to face her, as if losing himself in the woods would be more appealing than talking with her.

_But no. He wouldn't—couldn't—get lost. He knows his way around here._

With an effort, Lyra made her eyes meet his. She flinched at the accusation (just as she feared) that burned in his brown pupils.

"So…welcome home." Ethan burrowed his hands into the pockets of his shorts, blinking at her once before staring at the sky. Marill waved her tail and snuck off to vanish amongst the foliage. Meganium snorted once before folding his legs underneath him and resting on his haunches as if to say, _this will take a while._

_Look at me._

"Um…yeah. So, how are you?" Lyra's own forced happiness sounded false to both of their ears.

"I've been better. I had a friend once that I used to hang out with and call all the time. Then one day, she stopped picking up and I never heard from her again for a year. Made me wonder if I did something wrong. I had gotten to the point where I had forgotten all about her. Sometimes I thought she went on to be famous and forgot about me."

"Don't be like that," she murmured, moving her fingers to her Meganium's antennae and toying with the strands. "Ethan, please. I'm really sorry about what happened. That's why I'm here to tell you about it."

"Took your time, didn't you?" His gaze slid back to hers with a lazy, sardonic air. His smile in her direction was openly mocking. "Champion Lyra, it's an honor to hear about your life's story."

"Don't! Don't you start too! I hate being called Champion." Hunching her shoulders, the girl resisted the urge to pull her hat down so that she couldn't see Ethan's narrowed, smoldering eyes. "Will you listen to me?"

Marill made a noise that sounded an awful lot like _no_ from somewhere off in the bushes. Meganium pulled his lips back and growled ominously at her, pivoting his head to face the hidden Water-type.

"That's why we're out here," Ethan said at last.

"Good," Lyra breathed, relieved. Her heart thumped painfully again just thinking about it. It had been the first time she had had her heart broken to tiny shards…and why shouldn't it be? Why had she trusted _him_ of all people?

He was assessing her reaction, her silence. He wasn't even fiddling with his cap. His stare felt heavy on her skin, as if he could see straight down to her fractured core.

"Silver."

The statement hung between them, causing Ethan to raise his eyebrows.

"You mean that boy, the burglar that made off with a Cyndaquil?"

"He's a Typhlosion now. Silver's my rival, you know…the guy I battled all the way to the Elite Four? So after I became Champion f-for the second time…after taking out Kanto's Gyms…" Oh Arceus, why did it sound like she was bragging? "About two weeks after I called to tell you I was going to Hoenn, he showed up. And we fought, and got to talking, and…"

"You fell in love." His voice became harsh. "You fell in love with a thief."

"He's not a thief!" Lyra objected, but Ethan interrupted her before she was even finished.

"Why are you _defending_ him?"

"He's not as bad as you think," she whispered, clutching her free hand into a fist. Meganium blinked dolefully at Marill and the aquatic mouse shrugged her tiny shoulders.

Ethan clearly disagreed but motioned for her to go on.

"We dated for about a year and a half."

"So it's not his fault you didn't call?"

"Not at all," Lyra replied. In truth, it wasn't. "I've been gone for three years, right?" At his nod, she continued. "'Gone' meaning I haven't been home?"

"Yeah."

"He went with me to Hoenn, and…that's where we broke up."

"Why?"

The words came out slower. "He…said we weren't right for each other. We made a mistake. I was happy, actually. I guess he wasn't. I think I know why he did this. Silver is hesitant to bond with anything that might make him weak or vulnerable. I guess…he saw me as a risk. Our relationship was a risk. So we broke it off."

"That doesn't explain—" Ethan started hotly.

"It does. I was being stupid, and the true reason for this is…the whole year I was in Hoenn without Silver, I was too hurt to talk to _anyone_. I just battled and went on my way. It's the first time I've had my heart smashed, and I really thought Silver was the _one_. Guess I was wrong."

"No duh."

Ignoring that, she finished by kneeling beside her Meganium and clutching onto his warm, scaly skin for support. "Silver was right. I _am_ weak sometimes, and I guess he's my weakness. He was my rival and my friend, now that we've…broken up…But I'm not going to cry anymore, so…Oh my gosh this is such a pathetic excuse, but that's all I have to offer you, Ethan. I was too heartbroken to face anyone for a while. It only got worse when I _saw _Silver whenever I went traveling. He—"

"Stop."

Lyra clamped her mouth shut and felt her cheeks flame. "S-Sorry."

Ethan turned his back, arms crossed, and she wished he would at least _face_ her so she could guess what he was thinking, could imagine what might be bounding through his head. But he stayed that way for a long time, until the smell of the wildflowers and Meganium's naturally sweet scent became overpowering and she wanted to gag.

"Okay."

Her heart lifted hopefully. "W-What?"

"_Okay_. I accept your apology. I don't think this Silver guy is worth so much torment, but I've not had my heart crushed that way so…What do I know?" Ethan looked at her again and he smiled just a little. The single motion was worth more to her now than any partial upturning of the lips from Silver.

Leaping to her feet, Lyra raced forward and embraced her childhood friend without even pausing to consider her actions. "You understand," she said softly into his shirt as he twisted in surprise to face her. "You always understand. Thank you."

His arms wrapped around her and he returned the hug. She was struck dumb by the feeling of _rightness_ she was getting, feeling more secure and at home than she ever had with Silver.

_Of course_, she mused to herself privately. _Of course._

Three more heartbeats sailed by before they pulled away, both of them blushing somewhat. Marill squeaked in joy, her scowl at Lyra becoming a silly grin. Meganium shook his flower loose, the golden dust from the blossom wrapped on his neck swirling around the pair and glittering in the sunlight like embers. Every breath she took was laden with the distinct aroma of sugary syrup.

Swallowing hard, somehow unable to look Ethan in the eyes now, she pretended to have a sudden, spontaneous interest in her shoes. Meganium huffed and lumbered off somewhere, Marill following, and Ethan just stood still.

"Tell me about Silver. How did you end up attracted to a thief?"

Lyra tensed, waiting for the crackle of pain that the mention of Silver always caused. She found it wasn't as unbearable as she had imagined it would be. "He's strong, and stoic. He has this _pull_ you just can't resist; it sort of _materialized_ after we kissed for the first time."

Ethan made a growling sound. "How was it?"

"The kiss?" She glanced up, amused despite herself. He looked annoyed at the mere _concept_ of Silver's lips anywhere near hers. "That's a bit personal."

His gaze became shadowy again. "You owe me," he reminded her.

"He kisses so hard that he takes my breath away." These words came out in a rush. "Happy?"

He didn't seem like it.

"I…" Lyra felt a memory sweep across her before she could stop it, and her eyes shut tight in an effort to repel the image, but to no avail.

_It was dark here, and no one would see them. She was stepping back from him, afraid of his questions, his constant mantra. "Why can't I win?" he pleaded more than demanded, for it seemed as if he was hoping that she held all the answers._

"_I don't know," she managed to stutter. The Dragon's Den was empty for once, devoid of the Ace Trainers and Dragon Tamers that dwelled within its hollowed interior. The cave had just her and him, and no one else to see what happened next._

_She was backed into a corner, and he towered over her, black eyes blazing behind their mane of crimson hair. He put one hand out to block her escape—his nails were digging into the wall—staring down with a multitude of emotions flashing through his gaze._

"_What's your secret?" Silver asked at last, and Lyra just shook her head._

"_It's no secret," she replied shakily. "I love my Pokémon, and I know they can do it. I believe you can do it too. You'll beat me one day and I'll happily admit defeat. Okay?"_

"_How can you be so strong yet be so…hmph." For a moment his hand withdrew, and it seemed she was free to go. Not that she had been scared; mind, because her Gliscor was still awake and active, watching the exchange with suspicious yellow eyes._

_As soon as she made to shuffle meekly past him, he abruptly grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Gliscor hissed in warning but by then it was too late. Lyra gasped as she felt his mouth crush against hers, and her entire body trembled for an instant as she realized what he was doing._

_All she could feel was that _fire_. It swept through her system, destroying everything in its path, and she felt herself kissing him back before she could stop, before she could think. His lips were a burning force melded to her own and she was helpless to do anything._

_A strange, blissful, wonderful kind of help—_

"Lyra!"

And suddenly Ethan was there, shaking her shoulders until she snapped back to the world at hand. The recollection had been so incredibly _vivid_ and _real_ that she swore Silver had kissed her only just an instant ago.

He watched her, took in every action moving across her face, and she wondered if he liked what he saw. Was she still Lyra, the girl that had played make believe with him and had harmless sleepovers under starry skies, or was she _Champion _Lyra, a young woman so completely alien that she was just another determined face in the growing crowd of capable Trainers?

"You were thinking of him," he remarked offhandedly. His hands dropped to his sides and his gaze flickered to the right, to the left, anywhere but at Lyra, lost in blistering memories of heat and flame.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I…yeah." She sighed, feeling a peculiar sensation building up inside of her. "Are you happy now?"

"I'm sorry?" Ethan questioned quizzically.

"I said _are you happy now_?" Lyra spread her arms out, smiling brokenly. "You've seen me shattered, smashed into tiny pieces, and they lay where they've fallen since that day, a year and a half ago. I've fought a gang, bikers, Gym Leaders, Champions, _Pokémon Masters_ on hailing mountains and everything else you can imagine, not crying once. I've been strong everywhere else…but all it took was one boy that had my heart and dropped it for me to…fall apart. Pathetic. All of this unnecessary angst over a boyfriend, but for some reason, no matter how much I think _he's just one boy_…it still hurts. Badly."

Ethan seemed startled when a few tears started leaking from her pale blue eyes, and he hesitated for a heartbeat before reaching out and wiping them away. She blinked at him as he slowly stepped closer, just a little.

"It's justified, I mean, he was your first boyfriend and a friend you trusted at that. It doesn't help that I'm making you talk about him when you were doing just fine before I brought him up. Of course it'll be a bit…difficult, but I'll make the pain go away. I promise."

_Of course,_ she thought. _Of course. Why hadn't I seen this before?_

The moment was lost as a volley of infuriated squeaking earned both of their attentions. Meganium, not far away, had settled down near a berry bush and was gulping down masses of the sweet items. He had one paw extended, flat on Marill's face, easily keeping the irritated Water-type at bay due to his superior strength and size. Marill, regardless, endeavored to keep rushing forward in case she could prove successful in dislodging Meganium's foot from her face.

The sight was so ridiculous that Ethan started chuckling, low in his throat, and soon Lyra joined in. They both had an all-out laughing fit, clinging to their respective sides. She leaned against a large tree for support, snickering to herself all the while, gasping for air.

It had been so long since she had laughed like this, and she understood now how stupid she had been in secluding herself away in Hoenn to wallow in self pity. Finally, her mirth passed and the girl opened her eyes—

To see Ethan less than six inches from her. He appeared just as shocked, his face slack with surprise, one hand resting on the trunk of the tree to support himself. Apparently, during his merriment, he had chosen to keep himself upright by using the same tree as she. His fingers were so close that they brushed her brown hair.

It was just like with Silver. Ethan was in front of her and there was nowhere to run. But this felt different. Better. Not trapped, not cornered, but as if she had stood there by choice. Bonded with her old friend through years of laughter and sunshine, here was a person she knew better than herself. Someone she could trust without thinking.

Not a boy that had started out as a thief, but a boy that had started out as her companion.

Lyra looked down. "I hope Meganium doesn't get fat," she joked halfheartedly.

No reply.

She tugged at her satchel's strap, nervous but unwilling to move away. Unlike Silver, she was capable of shoving Ethan from her if she wanted. "He's going to get sick from all of those berries, I bet."

Still, nothing. Genuinely distressed, she chanced a peek at him.

Her heart stuttered.

Ethan was staring at her, his stance a little tense, his eyes displaying something new and _radiant_ that turned his dark auburn eyes into gold in the sunshine. It was mysterious and vivid, new and unexpected, but it was something that she liked. Something that made her feel warm all over, and that wasn't because of tangerine rays coating an obscure forest meadow.

_It's something…that Silver never made me feel. With Silver I always felt like I was on fire when he held me…with Ethan, I'm…comfortable._

"Lyra."

How had she never noticed how fluid her name sounded when he spoke it?

"Yes?" She said back, and her voice was even, not staggeringly shy like it was with…

_Of course. Of course. I've missed it before._

He didn't blink, not once. "Mind if I be cliché for a second?" And there was the smile, that endearing smile made from more than a decade of memories that meant _home_ more than Silver ever could.

"If you must." She pretended to groan theatrically. "Cliché is so overdone these days."

His smile didn't waver, but that new spark in his eyes seemed to intensify until she was unable to look away. "There's something I want to tell you," he whispered.

Lyra wanted to preserve this moment, just like how her traitorous mind had perfectly captured her first kiss. She studied him one more time before simply allowing her lids to descend and hide her gaze from his.

Her body didn't flinch or recoil like it had with Silver. Maybe because she knew what to expect now, or maybe because she simply wasn't nervous or afraid. Her trust with Ethan ran deeper than her bond with anyone, even her Meganium.

The touch of his lips was hesitant, careful. But like the rest of him, it was made from sunbeams. A pleasant warmth swept through her from the contact point, and she smiled against him.

_Of course. Of course. _

There was no movement of their tongues, something she was grateful for since Silver had never been one to ease into things when it came to kissing. One of her hands found his free one, and she interlaced their fingers together tightly. Ethan wasn't harsh, wasn't rough. He was gentle, and she let him lead, finding no reason to. Despite the fact that he was being extraordinarily light about it, she could still taste him.

Sweet. Like the clearing they were in, and so similar to the scent of the wildflowers around the pair that she wondered if, maybe, he had been tending to them. A secret garden she had never known, would never have known, if she hadn't decided it was time to face him and the unanswered Pokégear calls that had been between them.

When it was over, she was beyond words. She wasn't left gasping and clinging to his shirt for air, not like she did with Silver. No, he had let her breathe.

She finally opened her eyes when she was able to, and Ethan was watching her, concerned, his dear golden-brown eyes fixed on hers and she couldn't help but wonder how she had ever imagined them just to be the color of new bark.

"Lyra, I—"

She put a hand up to stop the stream of apologies that were threatening to spill out. "Don't be. Thank you."

"For what?" His facial expression clearly read that he thought he had crossed some kind of boundary.

"For being there, even when I wasn't for you." More of Meganium's yellow pollen particles whipped around them, and it was as if they had entered a fairy tale world of dreams and untapped possibilities. "For understanding."

"You're welcome," he replied, flummoxed. Rubbing the back of his head and pulling away sheepishly, he asked without looking at her, "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm headed to Sinnoh," was her prompt response.

Disappointment painted his voice gray. "Oh."

Lyra slipped her hand into his, and she smiled at how right it felt. Something she could accept without struggling deep down in her _heart_ and _soul_. "Will you come with me?"

Ethan perked up considerably, and he smiled. She understood that spark in his eyes now. His love for her, stronger than Silver's had ever been. She wondered why that was, briefly, before shoving it away.

"Of course! Marill can't wait to try those Sinnoh Gyms!" He pumped his fist into the air and turned to exclaim excitedly to his friend, causing the Water-type to squeal with delight. Meganium stood with more dignity and padded to Lyra's side, his gaze pleased.

She wasn't sure how many Johto Gyms he had beaten while she was gone, but there was always time to catch up later. Laying her hand on her Meganium's head, scratching his scales, Lyra grinned softly to herself, meeting Ethan's eyes again.

_It had been him all along._

* * *

_**My first **__**real**__** Pokémon romance. What did you think? Obviously, the protagonists of HeartGold and SoulSilver star here.**_

_**No, I don't have anything against LyraxSilver. I like it too, and maybe I'll do one, sooner or later.**_

_**Reviews would be greatly appreciated, thanks for the read!**_


	2. Splintered

~*_See Me Splintered*~_

_Broken into pieces that have never fallen…_

* * *

A familiar breeze caressed Ethan's skin as he stood on the far eastern edges of New Bark Town.

_It hasn't changed a bit._

A gray stone flew from his hand to skip across the nearby sea, each and every splash shining like new dreams in the sun's golden light. Marill muttered to herself at his feet, scampering to the left, then the right, restless for some reason.

He lifted another smooth rock in his hand, but instead of throwing it, the boy turned it over and over in his fingers. For a moment, he could hear _her _voice, as if _she_ was right beside him again where she belonged.

_Laughing, she turned to him with a mischievous smile. Her light blue eyes, glittering with the strength of her delight, seemed to be the very embodiment of joy. "Bet my pebble hops farther than yours!"_

_He clenched his fists, grinning in reply. "You're on!"_

A sudden fit of anger seized him, and Ethan threw the stone as far as it could go. It ended up crashing into the water with a grand spray of radiant yellow and melancholy, white ocean foam, quite a distance away.

_Damn her._

He had never cursed before. No, not ever. At least, not before she had left. Now, her very name inspired an agonizing pain in his chest that he found impossible to ignore. The worst part was, it didn't _break_. It refused to fall apart. Instead, his accursed heart splintered at the core and stabbed him with traitorous shards of missed opportunities and words left unsaid.

No matter what he did, his heart insisted that if he had only told her before she had gone…

Ethan blinked hard, his eyes narrowing, and he shoved away _her_ image and _her_ voice. The sooner _she _was forgotten, not just lost, the better.

Marill was still acting up, her tail thrashing in agitated spasms in the sand and lively green plants that thrived near the waterside. He glanced down at her, his fury fading into concern.

"Hey, you okay?"

The aquatic mouse's big ears lowered and she continued to sniff the breeze, as if she had scented something she simply couldn't believe.

"You've got allergies," he remembered with a small smile. "I forgot." He screwed his eyes shut as another memory, unbidden, rose to the front of his mind.

"_Aw, she's sniffling! Poor Marill. Let's go see Professor Elm, maybe he knows why she's being so weird."_

"_Ethan, you silly Farfetch'd! Your memory is _so _bad! She did the same thing last year around this time."_

He furrowed his brows, blocking out the rest of the picture-perfect sequence created in his head meant just to torture him. "But that doesn't _look_ likeyour allergies…better safe than sorry. Let's get home, Marill."

She chirped in agreement, and the pair made their way back through the small neighborhoods of New Bark. Ethan had his hands in his pockets, wondering when he would finally work up the courage to leave Johto.

_I'm hoping…I'm hoping she'll come back. Worrying that if I leave, she can't find me._

His face twisted into a scowl of disgust.

_She can call me. I need to leave, get out before these damn memories root me here forever._

The familiar roads were easy to traverse, and Ethan arrived at his house without any trouble. And why would there be? Nothing interesting happened unless _she _was home.

He pushed the door open, instantly registering the distinct smell of tea and chocolate cookies. His dad wasn't even _into_ chocolate all that much. Odd.

"Dad, have you—" He had meant to ask about the allergy medicine. He had meant to simply take the medicine and be gone again, _to nowhere_; waiting and waiting and waiting for what his heart seemed to want. Instead, he found _her_. "Oh…Lyra."

She was facing away from him, sitting stiffly in her chair as if she feared some kind of imminent apocalypse. At the sound of her name, she turned slowly and looked at him with eyes filled with shame.

She was different now. Older. Her hair was a bit longer, but she still wore them in pigtails. Her posture had changed, her stance, her general bearing was now worthy of the respectable title _master_.

Pokémon Master Lyra.

But she was still Lyra, and he could sense it even from across the room. She had the air of someone that drew courage from nowhere and grinned when faced with impossible odds and danger.

It hurt. He would rather that she had become someone else, because then he could have turned on his heel and left. But now emotions warred within him and Ethan found it hard to breathe properly. Nervously, she waved at him, her eyes scrunching up near the corners and he recognized the tiny sign as proof of her worry.

Worry? For what? His reaction? He couldn't do a thing right now.

Her Pichu let go of his cookie and jumped down to confront Marill. The Water-type—who must have detected Lyra's presence from the very beginning—didn't rise to his challenge as the Electric Mouse began to spark. Ethan didn't miss the way Lyra's gaze flickered with some kind of intense emotion that he didn't recognize as she watched her Pokémon.

Then, she looked down, and stayed that way. He felt himself tremble, fighting his various emotions on his old friend, and as the silence became even more intense, he felt as if he was about to snap at her. Hit her. Some sadistic part of him enjoyed her suffering and he almost smiled…before recoiling in shock.

His father was studying him, watching the two, and Ethan knew what he had to do.

"Come on," he told her at last, though Lyra was too much of a coward to even so much as sneak a peek at him. Let her come if she wanted. He went outside, taking in deep breaths, and now that he was faced with nothing but nature and unending sunshine, he began to calm down. He heard the distinct noise of a Pokémon returning to its Pokéball, and he blinked thoughtfully at his Marill, wondering when had been the last time he had used hers.

Lyra warily stepped towards him and he found he wasn't yet ready to face her. He plunged into the woods without looking back, his feet finding well-known trails and hidden paths, and he hoped that she realized just how _lost_ she could be in her own home. Again, something dark inside of him demanded that he hurt her, cause her to be as unhappy as he was…it was tempting.

Something glowed behind him and the heavy steps of a Meganium joined the melodic discord of theirs.

He shouldn't show her this place. He really shouldn't. But he still wanted her to know, still wanted her to be aware of his little acts in the woods. When she had gone, he and Marill had tended to each and every flower in the miniature forest meadow they had found. He had meant to pick her a bouquet as a _welcome back_ gift when she returned…but now, he didn't feel that she deserved it.

Regardless, her Meganium's flowery scent added just the right touch to _his_ clearing, as if it had always been waiting for…

He stopped that train of thought in its tracks, moving gradually as he turned, inch by inch, to stare accusingly at her. Ethan let all of his frustration show in his eyes, but not his pain. No, he wanted to hear what she said first to better tell if she was even _deserving _of anything else.

It seemed to take her a considerable effort to meet his gaze, but at last she did, and she _flinched_. Now that he was looking at her, face to face, a wonderful warmth from within was combating his pain.

If he decided to make believe…it was like she had only left New Bark yesterday.

"So…welcome home." Ethan was in awe. Lyra was wreathed in sunrays, pollen and dust motes floating around her like golden halos, and he blinked once before switching his attention to the sky overhead, in case he started…blushing.

"Um…yeah. So, how are you?" Her voice was lighter than he had thought it would be. But her "happiness" was sickeningly fake.

_Why are you acting like you didn't do anything wrong?_

He decided to tell the truth. After all, and he fought back a wry smile, it would set him free.

"I've been better. I had a friend once that I used to hang out with and call all the time. Then one day, she stopped picking up and I never heard from her again for a year. Made me wonder if I did something wrong. I had gotten to the point where I had forgotten all about her. Sometimes I thought she went on to be famous and forgot about me."

Lyra's face crumpled, and she bit her lip unconsciously—like she always did—messing with the strands on her Meganium's head. Marill had gone off somewhere. "Don't be like that," she said softly. "Ethan, please. I'm really sorry about what happened. That's why I'm here to tell you about it."

_Is that so? Well._

"Took your time, didn't you?" He challenged, glowering fiercely at her. Despite this, he grinned scornfully, and she gasped a little as he remarked disdainfully, "Champion Lyra, it's an honor to hear about your life's story."

For a moment, she was herself again, not broken before him as if she had been beaten too many times to care. "Don't! Don't you start too! I hate being called Champion." She bunched her shoulders up, her eyes gleaming beneath her hat, full of life and defiance.

_That's how they should be,_ he couldn't help thinking.

"Will you listen to me?" She asked, a plea for redemption buried in her tone, hidden beneath waves of fear.

She was afraid. Afraid that he wouldn't accept her incoming apology, would turn her away. This _alone _was enough to deflate the twisted joy he was getting from her anguish.

Marill squeaked in derision, but soon became quiet as Meganium snarled at her. He made no move to stop the powerful Grass-type.

"That's why we're out here." Ethan focused the full strength of his eyes on her and was heartened by the fact that she didn't turn away, didn't move her gaze from his. Those unchanged, beautiful blue eyes…

"Good," she said the word as a sigh, relief evident on her face. She seemed to hesitate before continuing, and not once did he stop looking at her, stop staring. He knew her, he thought. He was experiencing a similar kind of pain…but not quite the same, as she.

"Silver," she blurted from the blue.

Surprised—he hadn't been expecting _that_—his eyebrows rose, more shocked than skeptical. "You mean that boy, the burglar that made off with a Cyndaquil?"

"He's a Typhlosion now. Silver's my rival, you know…the guy I battled all the way to the Elite Four? So after I became Champion f-for the second time…after taking out Kanto's Gyms…About two weeks after I called to tell you I was going to Hoenn, he showed up. And we fought, and got to talking, and…"

All of this was said in a rush, and Ethan didn't get where she was going with her short spiel until…his smashed, barely intact heart took a heavy blow to its core. For an instant, all he could think of was Lyra and that red-headed boy, alone somewhere, and—

"You fell in love." His words sounded harsh even to his own ears, but he felt…betrayed. "You fell in love with a thief."

"He's not a thief!" And her eyes held strong roots that clearly said that she believed it.

"Why are you _defending_ him?" Ethan snarled, and his arms trembled again as his treacherous emotions waged war once more.

Every scrap of energy seemed to leave her body. "He's not as bad as you think," she whispered, and he just barely heard her.

Recollecting himself, he gritted his teeth but waved a hand.

"We dated for about a year and a half." She seemed reluctant.

"So it's not his fault you didn't call?" (Made it a bit harder to hate Silver if that was the case.)

"Not at all," Lyra spoke with undeniable truth in her words. "I've been gone for three years, right?"

He jerked his head down curtly in a passable nod.

"'Gone' meaning I haven't been home?" She prompted.

"Yeah."

She said nothing for two heartbeats too long, evidence that something difficult was coming. She steeled herself. "He went with me to Hoenn, and…that's where we broke up."

"Why?"

Every syllable seemed to catch in her throat, and he would have felt sorry if his heart hadn't been fractured and wrecked. "He…said we weren't right for each other. We made a mistake. I was happy, actually. I guess he wasn't. I think I know why he did this. Silver is hesitant to bond with anything that might make him weak or vulnerable. I guess…he saw me as a risk. Our relationship was a risk. So we broke it off."

_So what? A _relationship_ is the reason she's ignored me, her friend for more than a decade, for a _year_?_

Rage transformed his voice again, but she didn't flinch. "That doesn't explain—"

Lyra raised a hand. "It does. I was being stupid, and the true reason for this is…the whole year I was in Hoenn without Silver, I was too hurt to talk to _anyone_. I just battled and went on my way. It's the first time I've had my heart smashed, and I really thought Silver was the _one_. Guess I was wrong."

"No duh," he hissed.

Lyra sighed, and he felt his anger vanish as she crouched beside her Meganium and hugged him, eyes half closed. "Silver was right. I _am_ weak sometimes, and I guess he's my weakness. He was my rival and my friend, now that we've…broken up…But I'm not going to cry anymore, so…Oh my gosh this is such a pathetic excuse, but that's all I have to offer you, Ethan. I was too heartbroken to face anyone for a while. It only got worse when I _saw _Silver whenever I went traveling. He—"

"Stop." He couldn't take listening to one more word until he straightened out his own thoughts.

She shut her mouth and blushed so vividly that her cheeks became bright red. "S-Sorry."

She _was_ weak. Just remembering all of his Pokégear calls, left unanswered for so long, made him want to reject her apology. Maybe it would be justified, and he almost said so too, but something stopped him.

He blinked, remembering fond memories still clear in his head. Their first encounter was particularly bright. They had been three, almost four, and she had looked so _nervous_—like she did now—and when he had shown her how to blow _just_ right so that every wish on every dandelion came true, he recalled her smile. So…sweet. So innocent. He had thought, even then, _what a beautiful smile._ He had wanted to see that smile every day, even when they were older. He had wanted to make her laugh, make her happy…

Revulsion, aimed at himself, hit so hard that he almost lost his breath. He had been reveling earlier in the fact that he had made her flinch, made her ache and hurt…his pain was twisting him into a monster, and he tipped his hat up slightly, narrowing his eyes.

_No. That won't happen._

"Okay," he stated without facing her.

Hope laced her next word. "W-What?"

"_Okay_. I accept your apology. I don't think this Silver guy is worth so much torment, but I've not had my heart crushed that way so…" No, he had had it crushed another way. "…What do I know?" He turned his head to look at her, grinning a bit. Her whole face lit up and he felt his heart begin to repair itself at last. Ethan gasped as she bolted towards him and unexpectedly hugged him so tightly that he could barely breathe. He had to pivot himself the right way before he ended up falling onto his back…but that would have been worth it, if only she had smiled.

"You understand. You always understand. Thank you."

Her voice was a nearly inaudible murmur into his shirt, but he heard her anyway. He wrapped his arms around her and exhaled slowly, shutting his eyes and inhaling the spicy-sweet aroma that clung to her clothes thanks to her Meganium.

A sliver of unhappiness pricked the back of his mind.

_How can you not see? _He mused sadly, resisting the urge to say this to her. _How can you not see?_

Simultaneously, they both realized the length of their embrace and pulled apart hurriedly, scarlet dusting both of their cheeks. Their Pokémon rejoiced, but Ethan let his mind wander, picking apart everything Lyra had said until she began to squirm uncomfortably. Meganium and Marill slipped off into the surrounding trees, but not before the former released another wave of golden pollen from his pink petals.

"Tell me about Silver. How did you end up attracted to a thief?"

_What does he have…that I don't?_

She inexplicably tensed, like his sentences had hurt. "He's strong, and stoic. He has this _pull_ you just can't resist; it sort of _materialized_ after we kissed for the first time."

They had kissed. He had guessed this, but…his subconscious conjured an image of the red-headed boy _kissing_ her, and his irritation surfaced as a guttural growl. "How was it?" Why he asked, he did not know.

"The kiss?" Her eyes had moved to the ground but now they returned to his. A smile danced on the edges of her lips. "That's a bit personal."

He had a right to know _everything_, in his opinion. "You owe me."

"He kisses so hard that he takes my breath away." Her face flushed deeply as her words tripped against one another on their way out. "Happy?"

Ethan shook his head. _No, I'm not. He's not…I…_

She started to say something else, but just then she trailed off and her gaze became clouded. Her posture changed, her expression slackened, and he walked towards her as he observed her sudden change.

Silver was doing something right, or had, at least. He had been direct. Maybe…

"Lyra!" He grabbed her slim shoulders and shook her, hard. Her eyes regained their clarity. As she tried to reassert herself into the world, he observed her. She was blushing again, her features displaying something like _longing_, but that deep suffering that seemed to be connected to her Pichu was also there.

_Easy to read as ever._

"You were thinking of him." He let go of her and averted his gaze. How much did she miss Silver? More than she cared about him?

"Yes, I'm sorry. I…yeah." She sighed from deep within her chest. "Are you happy now?"

The abrupt demand left him flummoxed, pulling him from his own thoughts. "I'm sorry?"

"I said _are you happy now_?" She opened her arms as if to embrace the world, her smile one of broken glass and punctured skin. "You've seen me shattered, smashed into tiny pieces, and they lay where they've fallen since that day, a year and a half ago. I've fought a gang, bikers, Gym Leaders, Champions, _Pokémon Masters_ on hailing mountains and everything else you can imagine, not crying once. I've been strong everywhere else…but all it took was one boy that had my heart and dropped it for me to…fall apart. Pathetic. All of this unnecessary angst over a boyfriend, but for some reason, no matter how much I think _he's just one boy_…it still hurts. Badly."

Ethan's breath stuttered as glimmering tears started to flow from her eyes, and he pondered only briefly about what to do before proceeding to swipe the wretched things away.

_No. She can't cry, not ever. Damn you, Silver! You're an idiot for letting her go._

He inched hesitantly nearer. "It's justified, I mean, he was your first boyfriend and a friend you trusted at that. It doesn't help that I'm making you talk about him when you were doing just fine before I brought him up. Of course it'll be a bit…difficult, but I'll make the pain go away. I promise." The conviction of his words was evident to everyone present. He would make her forget all about her rival (and now his, too) no matter what the cost.

_How can you not see? How can you not see…what you mean to me?_

They had been entirely focused on the other until a volley of squeaks interrupted their moment. Lyra's Meganium had located some berries and was chewing them as he held Marill away with a single paw, and the Water-type was chattering in fury.

The spectacle was quite amusing, and Ethan began to laugh before he could prevent it. Lyra did the same, and he fought for air as he enjoyed a fit of merriment that he hadn't had in a long while. He knew, he knew that keeping _it_ against her wasn't going to solve anything, and his anger would only turn him into something she would hate. He would hate himself, even. No, he would forgive and forget…

His eyes reopened, and he blinked comically as Lyra met his gaze. He had pressed his hand against a tree that had been close to him for support so he wouldn't be rolling in the grass laughing. Now, he was dangerously close to her…her brown hair even tickled his skin.

She looked down. "I hope Meganium doesn't get fat."

_She's not any different. Not at all. I was wrong. She's still Lyra, and I can see that. I can feel that. She's…my best friend. My very best friend in the whole wide world._

A foggy sensation was swooping up and down his heart, repairing the splinters. She was determination incarnate; she was his companion, his playmate…except now they played games of a different nature. She had gone on, but he would be at her side from now until she said otherwise. Beloved, kind, sensitive, teasing Lyra…

She toyed with her satchel's strap. "He's going to get sick from all of those berries, I bet."

What was she talking about…?

_Look at me._

As if she had heard, she glanced up, her cerulean eyes glistening. He saw experiences he could only guess at in their depths. He saw Ho-oh's fire and Lugia's seas crashing in her gaze, and he wanted those eyes to only look at _him_ like that. Unafraid and luminous.

"Lyra," he said her name with all of the affection he had.

"Yes?" Inquisitive, but still, not nervous or wary.

"Mind if I be cliché for a second?" He smiled the smile that she loved—and he knew, because his own memories of her said she smiled when he did—and he was proven correct as her mouth turned up at the corners as if of their own will.

"If you must." She imitated a bad actor, her words acquiring a pathetic imitation at a "rich" accent. He marveled at the fact she could do this even now, and she seemed more like herself every moment. "Cliché is so overdone these days."

_I'll make the pain go away._

"There's something I want to tell you," he informed her in a low whisper no louder than the breeze that rustled New Bark's oldest trees. His heartbeat wasn't a roaring tempest in his ears, but a heavy thump in his chest, all aches forgotten.

Lyra blinked just once at him before she let her eyelids close.

He kissed her. He was careful to be as gentle as possible, because he knew she still harbored a partially healed wound somewhere within her heart of hearts. It was his first kiss, after all, but he found it wasn't difficult at all. With her, it felt right. Everything did.

_How can you not see?_

Her lips were soft and warm, and he couldn't quite believe it. Her hand found his, and their fingers joined together like their destinies would be for now on. At first, it was like she wasn't kissing him back, but he realized she _was_, preferring to let him lead. She tasted like sugar and spiced honey, just like how the perfume smelled that wreathed around her Meganium.

Or maybe it wasn't her Pokémon's flowers that gave her such a sweet scent.

Ethan felt like he was complete at last.

He moved away when it was over, late nervousness setting in to suffuse his entire being until he was stiff and uneasy. Lyra hadn't said a word, and he wondered if he had done something wrong, something to upset her.

At last she opened her eyes and he tried to stammer an apology, but she stopped him.

"Don't be. Thank you."

She wasn't mad? It wasn't too soon? "For what?"

"For being there, even when I wasn't for you. For understanding." A gust of wind caused more of the pollen motes to swirl.

"You're welcome," he answered, perplexed. He rubbed the back of his capped head, fighting off a blush now that he was finally understanding the fact that he had _kissed Lyra._ "What are you going to do now?"

Her reply was surprisingly swift. "I'm going to Sinnoh."

Was that it? Was she going to act like nothing had happened between them? Or maybe he was dreaming. "Oh."

And then suddenly her hand was in his and she squeezed tightly, smiling enough for the both of them. "Will you come with me?" There was no trace of sorrow in her eyes now.

A bubbling happiness emerged within him. "Of course! Marill can't wait to try those Sinnoh Gyms!" He promptly went on to pump his free fist into the air, and his Pokémon squeaked in agreement. Meganium paced solemnly to Lyra's side, his reptilian face smug. She seemed a little shocked that Ethan had mentioned the Gyms in particular. She put the hand not holding his on her Meganium and met his gaze with a smile just for him.

_Maybe she knew all along._

* * *

_**Not so fond of this one as I am of Lyra's, but nothing cures insomnia/writer's block on other stuff better than random one-shots!**_

_**Review, if you want.**_


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